Application of a Social Skill and Problem-Solving Group Training Program to Learning Disabled and Non-Learning Disabled Youth.

Hazel, J. Stephen; And Others

The efficacy of training social and problem solving skills to learning disabled (LD) adolescents was evaluated by conducting a group skill training program with three sets of youths--seven LD alternative high school students referred for dysfunctional behavior, seven nonLD alternative high school students, and seven court adjudicated youths on probation with a juvenile court. Six skills were taught during the program: giving positive feedback, giving negative feedack, accepting negative feedback, resisting peer pressure, negotiating, and problem solving. Training procedures consisted of skill explanation, rationales, modeling, and behavioral rehearsal with feedback. Assessment of skills through behavioral role play tests showed that each social skill trained increased for each group of Ss. Initial increases apparent after training generally were maintained or increased throughout the program on the cognitive problem solving skill, LD adolescents showed a slight gain when compared to gains for nonLD and court adjudicated youths. Included are graphs of test session data. (Author/SB)